Consulting Magazine has released the 2015 edition of the ‘Top 25 Consultants’, an annual list of the 25 most accomplished and talented advisors in the industry. All recognised consultants work at different consulting firms, with 20 of the of the 25 award winners male.

For consulting firms globally, talent is one of the most important, arguably the key differentiator in the marketplace. In an industry which revolves around the quality of human capital, with the ‘product’ in essence boiling down to the excellence of thinking and execution, it goes without saying that at the end of the line the consultancies with the best talent win.

To recognise the leaders in the consulting industry – which employs more than 250,000 consultants in the United States alone – US-based Consulting Magazine on an annual basis releases two lists: ‘The 35 most talented young consultants under 35’ – released two months ago – and the ‘Top 25 Consultants’, released yesterday. The latter list contains a “distinguished group” of senior advisors, that have provided an “extraordinary contribution” to the profession, both in their work as well as in their accomplishments, setting them aside from the thousands of other brilliant minds that work with them. Consultants recognised have for instance provided excellent client service (customers were included in the nomination process), launched or stood at the basis of new firms, played a pivotal role in opening new offices or large-scale global expansion, or led the creation of breakthrough thought leadership.

This year more than 400 nominees were taken under scrutiny, leading to an elite group of 25:

Diversity?An analysis of the 25 young consultants reveals that all recognised advisors work at different consulting firms, with the overlarge majority serving in a leadership / partner role. 20 of the top 25 consultants are male (80%), highlighting that despite the considerable diversity efforts resounding throughout the industry the profession’s boardroom still is male dominated terrain. In the case of the Top 35 under 35 ranking, which highlights the brightest minds from lower ranks of the consulting ladder, the percentage of females was considerably higher (40%). More than half of the advisors work at a top-tier consultancy, for instance voted best consulting firm to work for or most prestigious consulting firm in the marketplace.